Dust cap or the like



Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES HENRY P. KRAFT, OF RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

DUST CAP OR THE LIKE.

Application filed October 7, 1919.

T 0 (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. KRAFT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica. re siding in Ridgewood, in the county of Bergen and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DustCaps or the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dust caps for tire valves or the like, andaims to provide certain improvements therein.

The invention is particularly directed to a quick detachable dust capfor tire valves, although it may be applied to other devices, ifdesired. According to the present invention I provide a cap whichcomprises a cap portion and a foot portion, the foot portion beingprovided with spring arms which are adapted to be pressed by the capportion. Preferably the cap and foot portions are connected together bymeans of a thread which permits relative rotation thereof, and thespring arms are contracted by a tapered surface formed on the capportion. The invention comprises other features of improvement whichwill be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one form of the invention,-

Figure 1 is an elevation of the cap as a whole.

Fig. 2 is an under side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diametrical section of Fig. 1, showing the cap clamped inplace on a tire valve.

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the tire valve omitted, showing the cap inreleased position.

Fig. 5 is a section of the cap portion detached.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the foot portion detached.

Fig. 7 is a plan of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, let A. indicate the cap as a hole whichcomprises a cap portion B and foot portion 0. According to the presentinvention the foot portion is provided with a clamping means, whichclamping means are operated by a relative movement of the foot portionand cap por tion B. Preferably such relative movement is secured bythreading the cap portion to the foot portion, so that they may rotateSerial No. 329,089.

relatively. As the cap advances on the foot portion, the clamping meansare operated.

Preferably also the clamping means comprise spring arms D D, which arebest shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Such spring arms are preferably integralwith the foot portion, and are best formed by drawing the foot portionwith a circular projection and slitting the projection to form therequired number of arms. The arms themselves may be threaded, as shownat E, to engage similar threads F formed on the interior of the capportion. Preferably the cap portion is formed with an internal taperedwedging surface G, which is designed to engage the ends of the arms andto press the same inwardly into clamping contact with the tire valve orother device to which the cap is to be applied. The inner faces of thespring arms may be smooth, as shown, or any other surface configurationmay be adopted for the purpose of engaging with the threads of the valvecasing. hen the parts are assembled, the lower edge H of the cap portionmay be turned under the last thread of the foot portion, so as toprevent separation of the parts.

By the construction just described when the cap portion is turned to theleft, the arms are released, and move outwardly under their springtension, so that the cap may be slid upon the tire valve. When the capis in place, a short turning movement of the cap portion causes thelatter to travel downwardly, and thereby forces the spring arms inwardlyinto effective engagement with the valve casing. In order to prevent thefoot portion from turning, it is best formed with flats J (Fig. 2.)

While I have described the device as applied to a dust cap, it will beunderstood that it may be used in other connections if desired.

While I have shown and described one form of the invention, it will beunderstood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since variouschanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a dust cap or the like, the combination of a footportion and a cap portion, the foot portion having a tubular exteriorlyscrew-threaded extension which is split to provide spring arms and thecap portion threaded to engage the same, and adapted to compress saidarms by a relative rotary movement.

2. A dust cap or the like comprising a foot portion and a cap portion,the foot portion having a plurality of spring arms and the cap portionengaging said arms and adapted to compress the same by a relative rotarymovement between the cap portion and foot portion said dust cap portionsbeing non-separably connected together and adapted for only limitedrelative movement.

7 A dust cap or the like comprising a foot portion and a capportionjnon-separably connected therewith and adapted for only limitedrelative movement thereto, the foot portion having flats adapted toengage the flats of a tire valve and spring arms adapted to he forcedinto contact With said tire valve by a Wedging surface on the capportion When the latter is rotated.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. 1 v

HENRY P. KRAFT;

